Esler, Preston among 41 CHL players named to Team Canada rosters for 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
Spokane Chiefs goaltender Carter Esler and forward Mathis Preston are among the 41 CHL players that will compete with Canada Red and Canada White at the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, from November 3-9 at Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ontario. Specifically, there are 19 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 15 from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and seven from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) who will aim to help either Canada Red or Canada White win gold in Sarnia (see complete rosters for both teams below).
Preston, selected third-overall by the Chiefs in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, has already piled up six points in seven games this season (5G-1A) and has 10 career points since making his debut on September 24, 2023 against the Everett Silvertips. Esler was originally selected by Spokane 22nd-overall in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft and recently logged his first WHL career win last Saturday night at home against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
In all, 29 CHL clubs are represented with at least one player. The Windsor Spitfires (OHL) lead the way with three players, while the Spokane Chiefs (WHL), Guelph Storm (OHL), Erie Otters (OHL), Peterborough Petes (OHL), Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL), Vancouver Giants (WHL), Sarnia Sting (OHL), Prince Albert Raiders (WHL), London Knights (OHL), and Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) each have a pair of players represented.
Among the many CHL players selected are the first-overall pick of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), the first-overall pick of the 2024 QMJHL Draft Maddox Dagenais (Québec Remparts / QMJHL), and the first-overall pick of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL). All three of these CHL rookies have gotten off to impressive starts to begin their careers in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL.
Belchetz (4G-4A in 5 GP) tallied four goals during the Spitfires’ opening game of the 2024-25 season, which were the most by a Spitfires 16-year-old rookie since Taylor Hall achieved the feat on March 6, 2008. Belchetz’s six points (4G-2A) on opening night were also the most in a single game by a 16-year-old newcomer in the OHL since Matt Puempel on March 13, 2010. Meanwhile, in the QMJHL, Dagenais (6G-5A in 7 GP) is one of just four 16-year-old players (along with Angelo Esposito, Zachary L’Heureux, and Nathan MacKinnon) to have scored at least 10 points in his first seven career QMJHL games over the last 20 years.
Finally, as the ninth Exceptional Status Player in CHL history, the 15-year-old DuPont (4G-7A in 7 GP) is currently on a seven-game point streak, which is the second longest streak by an Exceptional Status Player to start their CHL career – trailing only Connor Bedard who tallied points in each of his first 12 career WHL games. Additionally, DuPont’s 11 points through his first seven career contests are the second-most of any Exceptional Status Player in CHL history behind only Bedard (5G-7A for 12 PTS over his first seven career games).
The 2024 U17 World Challenge kicks off on Nov. 3, with Canada White taking on Czechia at 3:30 p.m. ET and Canada Red facing off against Finland at 7:30 p.m. ET. Teams will play two preliminary-round games before the medal round, which concludes on Nov. 9 with the medal games, as well as the fifth-place game. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Sarnia, Petrolia, and Forest on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the bronze and gold medal games; check local listings for details.
Fans looking to secure their seat to watch the top under-17 players from five countries can purchase a variety of ticket options at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, with full-event ticket packages starting as low as $140 for youth and $210 for adults (plus fees). A Group A or Group B three-game package is also available starting as low as $50 (plus fees), as well as a seven-game medal round package that starts at $130 (plus fees) and includes one ticket to both quarterfinals, both semifinals, the placement game, and the bronze and gold medal games. Pending availability, single-game tickets will be available in the coming weeks.
As a legacy of hosting the event, Sarnia will receive net proceeds from all ticket sales to support grassroots hockey within the community.
More than 2,000 NHL draft picks have suited up since the inception of the U17 World Challenge (previously known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and Quebec Esso Cup) in 1986, including 10 CHL alumni since 2001 who were later drafted first overall to the NHL (Rick Nash, 2002; Marc-André Fleury, 2003; Patrick Kane, 2007; John Tavares, 2009; Taylor Hall, 2010, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2011; Nathan MacKinnon, 2013; Aaron Ekblad, 2014; Connor McDavid, 2015; Alexis Lafrenière, 2020).
For more information on Hockey Canada and the U17 World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Canada Red (22)
(G) Carter Esler, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
(G) Colin Ellsworth, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(D) Cameron Chartrand, Bishop Kearney (US16U) / Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
(D) Lucas Ambrosio, Erie Otters (OHL)
(D) Carson Carels, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
(D) Carter Hicks, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(D) Blake Gowan, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
(D) Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
(D) Kohyn Eshkawkogan, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
(F) Cruz Pavao, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
(F) Parker Vaughan, Barrie Colts (OHL)
(F) Pierce Mbuyi, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
(F) Braidy Wassilyn, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
(F) Colin Fitzgerald, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
(F) Alessandro Di Iorio, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
(F) Jaxon Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
(F) Joe Iginla, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
(F) Brett Olson, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
(F) Alex McLean, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(F) Romain Litalien, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
(F) Maddox Dagenais, Québec Remparts (QMJHL)
(F) Chad Lygitsakos, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Canada White (19)
(G) Antoine Proulx, Lévis (LHM18AAAQ) / Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
(G) Gavin Betts, Pickering (OJHL) / Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
(D) Giorgos Pantelas, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
(D) Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals (WHL)
(D) Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
(D) Ryan Lin, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
(D) Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
(D) Caleb Mitchell, London Knights (OHL)
(F) Ethan Belchetz, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(F) Beckham Edwards, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
(F) Liam Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(F) Tyler Challenger, Erie Otters (OHL)
(F) Jean-Christoph Lemieux, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(F) Mathis Preston, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
(F) Logan Hawery, London Knights (OHL)
(F) Markus Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(F) Riley Boychuk, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
(F) Cole Zurawski, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
(F) Jayden Plouffe, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
